Survey signs encouraging that attitudes are changing among Florida's young people

While any underage use of drugs by Florida children is cause for concern, an annual survey of substance abuse among middle and high school students shows encouraging trends.

According to the recently released 2011 Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey, fewer students are using alcohol, cigarettes, marijuana and prescription drugs than in prior survey years.

"We are encouraged to see that more students are saying no to cigarettes, drugs and alcohol," said David Wilkins, secretary of the Florida Department of Children and Families, which sponsored the survey along with the State Department of Education, Department of Health and Department of Juvenile Justice. "This survey gives insight into the minds and behaviors of Florida's children and lets our state know where help is still needed."

Among key findings:

Alcohol is the most commonly used drug among Florida students. About 48.5 percent of middle and high school students reported alcohol use at some time during their lives. That's down, however, from 51.5 percent in 2010 and a high of 57.5 percent in 2004.

x Asked where they had used alcohol in the previous 30 days, the largest percentage said another person's home and the second highest was own home.

x Cigarette use continues a steady decline from 36.2 percent of students ever having smoked in 2002 to 22.8 percent last year. The percentage of students who had smoked in the past 30 days was 7.2 percent (3.5 percent in middle school and 10 percent in high school).

x The percentage of students who had ever used marijuana or hashish was 22.6 percent, compared with 23.8 percent in 2010, which was the highest percentage since 2002.

x The percentage of students who had used inhalants was 8.8 percent last year compared with 10 percent in 2010 and a high of 12.9 percent in 2004.

x The percentage of students who had ever used cocaine or crack was 2.5 percent, compared with 2.9 percent the previous year; the percentage who had used cocaine or crack within the past 30 days was 0.8 percent.

The survey involved almost 12,000 students in grades 6 through 12 from 94 middle schools and 78 high schools.

A contributing factor is the decline of drug use among students is an improved attitude among students themselves.

Relatively few students said they would be seen as "cool" by peers if they smoked marijuana (15.6 percent), drank alcohol regularly (12.6 percent), or smoked cigarettes (5.9 percent).

The percentage of students who said it would be "wrong" or "very wrong" to use cigarettes was 84.7 percent, to use marijuana, 77.4 percent, or to drink alcohol regularly, 70.2 percent.

Authors of the study said, "The information obtained ... will lead and guide our efforts to ensure that Florida's students, their parents and their communities receive the tools they need to prevent alcohol, tobacco or other drug use and related problem behaviors, as well as establishing effective substance abuse treatment services."

That is key. Students' attitudes about drug use may be changing for the better, but resources continue to be needed to help steer young people toward a healthier — and legal — lifestyle. Without such a commitment, the gains made this past decade could quickly reverse.